Game boards



l. H. STEINHARDT Jan. 29, 1957 GAME BOARDS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec.31, 1954 Jan. 29, 1957 l. H. srElNHARD-r GAME BOARDS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Dec. 5l, 1954 Unite This invention relates to game boards and moreparrticularly to game boards with movable component parts or sections.

It is one of the prime :objects of the present invention to providemeans aiording the `creation of a game Ior puzzle board with movable ordisplaceable sections or elements of dierent sizes and shapes, wherebysimultaneously the front and the reverse sides of the game board may besubjected to variations in design.

it is another object ofthe present invention to provide meansfacilitating the employment, in a game or puzzle, of a variety ofmovable sections of diierent dimensions in exercises requiring manualIand mental dexterity to thereby bring about assembly of said sectionsin a variety of predetermined patterns.

it is still ano-ther object of `the present invention to provide meansconducive to 4facile and rapid manipulation of a plurality of movablesections or blocks, each having a predetermined value or number on oneface and a color scheme on the other face, to thereby produce differentesthetic eiects both on the front and back surfaces of said board, aswell as to permit distribution of said numbers in a multiplicity ofsequential arrangements.

Yet another object of the present invention is to pro vide meanspresenting a novel and highly ingenious game or puzzle board employing aplurality of displaceable blocks or sections having opposite faceswhereby a corn-` plete game or puzzle is defined on one side of saidboard without regard to the opposite side thereof.

A further object of `the present invention is to provide meansconstituting a greatly improved and highly simplified game boardincluding an open or hollow frame and a plurality of movable blockstherein and so constructed that the latter may be retained in the framewithout the intermediary of any backing means, whereby separate games orpuzzles at 'both faces of said frame are facilitated. i

:It is still a further object of the present invention to provide mean-spermitting rapid and complete dismantling and reassembly of a pluralityof movable blocks and a frame of a game or puzzle board, whereby saidblocks may be returned to predetermined positions with minimumexpenditures of time and eiort.

The invention will be fully and comprehensively understood from aconsideration of the following` detailed description when read inconnection with the accompanying drawings which form part of theapplication, with the understanding, however, that the improvement i-scapable of extended application and is not confined to the exact showingof the drawings nor to the precise construction described and,therefore, such changes and modications may be made therein as do notaffect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof asexpressed in the appended claim-s.`

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front View of a game or puzzleboard embodying the inventionand illustrating movable blocks of the board 4in starting position; i

States Patent 'ire Fig. 2 is a sectional View of the 'board of Fig. l,the section being taken along line 2 2;

Fig. 3 is a rear View of the board of Fig. l, illustrating a design`corresponding to the arrangement of the blocks as shown in Fig. 1;

.Fig. 4 is a sectional View of the board of Fig. l, the section beingtaken along line if- 4;

Figs. 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d are front, back, side, and bottom views,respectively, of the number l block emfployed in the game boardaccording to the invention;

lFigs, 6a, 6b, 6c, and 6d are front, back, side, and bottom views,respectively, of the number 4 block employed in the game board accordingto the invention;

Figs. 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d are front, back, side, and bottom views,respectively, of the number 8 block employed in the game board accordingto the invention;

Figs. 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d are front, back, side and bottom views,respectively, of the number 2 block employed in the game board accordingto the invention;

Fig. 9 is a front View of a game board embodying the present inventionand illustrating a further pattern and `arrangement of numbers appearingon the blocks;

Fig. l0 is a front view of a game board embodying the present inventionand illustrating a further arrangement of the blocks obtained by movingsome of the blocks of Fig. 9 in directions indi-cated by the arrows; and

Fig. ll is a rear View of a game board embodying the present inventionand illustrating a design corresponding to the block arrangement of Fig.10.

Referring now more particularly fto Figs. 1 to 4, the game or puzzleboard embodying the invention includes a hollow trame F hav-ing fourside walls or frame elements A, B, C, and D and open front and rearfaces. Frame element-s A, B, and C are elongated, substantiallyrectangular bodies provided with guide means on their inner faces for apurpose t-o be more fully described below.

*Frame element A, as may be seen from Fig. 4, is provided between itssides with two longitudinally extending grooves A1 and A2 separated by alongitudinally .running ledge or tongue A3. Frame element C is providedbetween it-s sides with two longitudinally extending ledges or tonguesC1 and C2, separated lby a longitudinal groove C3. As may be seen fromFig. 2, frame `element B is provided between its sides with alongitudinally extending ledge B1 and a groove B2 extending paralleltherewith.

The remaining wall member or frame element D consists of two parallel,substantially rectangular slats or thin plates D1 and D2 having theircorresponding extremities connected to opposite sides ot' frame elementsA and C, respectively, opposite frame element B, thus leaving a spacebetween said slats for a purpose to be more fully explained below. Thisspace is lled, when the game board is in use, by an insert or closuremember E. As may be seen from Fig. 2, insert member E has a flat bottomsurface and a stepped upper surface, thus providing a ledge or key E1and two vertically spaced shoulders E2 and E3. These shoulders and theledge ot' insert member E define, together with. plates D1 and D2, aledge and groove corresponding to the ledge and groove of frame elementB. All the ledges and grooves of frame F are located in spaced, parallelplanes between the aforesaid front and rear faces and on the innerfacing sides of the frame elements and constitute the inner guide meansherein referred to.

Slidably retained in frame F by means of the aforementioned inner guidemeans is a plurality of blocks. designated by reference characters a toeach of said blocks being provided with outer guide means cooperatingwith the inner guide means of the frame. Each block has front and rearsurfaces on which are provided suitable designs or other identifyingmarks which, in coperation with the designs or other insignia appearingon the remaining blocks, serve to define patterns or color schemesyvisible from the front and rear faces of the frame. The various blocksatto i have different shapes, and, in the illustrated embodiment, areeither substantially square or rectangular. It will, however, berealized that these blocks may have any suitable shape, e. g.,triangular or hexagonal, depending on the type of frame employed.

Block a, as may be seen from Figs. 5a to 5d, is substantially square inshape and is provided on its front face with a coloredstrip a9 bearing anumeral l, and on its rear face with four colored squares lll, l2, 13,and ,7.4 which, by way of example, are shown to be red and green squaresdiagonally arranged. At the top side or edge block a is provided with aledge nl and a groove a3 extending parallel to the flat faces of theblock. A ledge z2 and a groove a4J are provided on the bottoni side oredge of the block. On the right side of the block are formed two groovesa5 and a5, while on the left side two ledges a7 and a8 are formed.

As may be visualized from Figs. 5a to 5d, ledges al and 13 are actuallya single ledge or projection provided with two perpendicular legs. Thisprojection extends beyond the boundaries of the block at one cornerthereof. Likewise, ledges a2 and a7 constitute the perpen dicular legsof a single ledge or projection which extends beyond the boundaries ofanother corner adjacent to the first mentioned corner. ln a similarmanner, groove a3 communicates with groove a5 and groove a6 communicateswith groove a4; It will, therefore, be apparent that the various ledgesand grooves al to a8 cooperate with the various ledges and grooves, suchas A1 to A3, of frame F to guide block a for sliding movement internallyof the frame.

Block d, illustrated in Figs. 6a to 6d, is also substantially square butonly one quarter as large as block a. It is provided on its front facewith a colored strip di bearing the number 4, and presents a green rearsurface 15. Like block a, block d is provided with a series of ledgesand grooves d1 to d8 arranged substantially like the ledges and groovesof block a. As kmay be seen from Figs. l, 9, and 11, for example, blocki, which constitutes the number 9 block, has a shape and a ledge andgroove arrangement identical with that of block d. The rear surface ofblock i, however, is provided with a red square 16, as may readily beseen from Figs. 3 and l1. As in the case of block a, the ledges projectbeyond two adjacent corners of their respective blocks.

Block h, as illustrated in Figs. 7a to 7d, has a substantiallyrectangular shape and is provided on its front surface with a coloredstrip h9 bearing numeral 8 and on its rear surface with one red square17 and one green square 18. On its sides are formed, in a manner similarto that described with respect to block a, a series of ledges andgrooves h1 to ha. Block g (number 7) is substantially identical withblock h except for the number on its front face and the-arrangement ofthe colored squares 19 and 20 on its rear surface. As may be seen fromFigs. 3 and 1l, on block g the red square 19 is adjacent the top end of'the block while on block h the red square 17 is adjacent the bottom endof the block.

Block b is provided with a colored strip b9 and numeral 2 on its frontface and with red and green squares 21 and 22., respectively, on itsrear face, the block being substantially rectangular in shape. As in thecase of the already described blocks, the number 2 block is providedwith a series of ledges and grooves b1 to bs. Blocks c, e, and f aresubstantially identical in shape and configuration with block b. As willbe speen from Figs. 3 and l1, the color arrangements 237-24 and 25-26 onthe back surfaceslof blocks e and f, respectively, are identicaly withthat ofv block b while the color arrangenient 27-28 on the back of blockc is the reverse f 4 that on the back of block b. Again as in the case'lof block` the ledges of each of blocks b, c, e, f, g and h projectbeyond two adjacent corners of their respective blocks.

it is to be noted that all of the ledges and grooves of each block, likethose of each frame element lie in two spaced parallel planes betweenthe front and rear surfaces of the block.

The ledges and grooves of blocks a to i constitute the aforesaid outerguide means. As will furthermore ne readily seen, the aforementionedledges and grooves on the frame and on tthe blocks formtongue-and-groove joints operable to retain the blocks in the frame whena predetermined number of said blocks is located in said frame whilepermitting sliding movement of said predetermined number of blocksrelative to said frame and relative to one another.

In order to facilitate manipulation of the various blocks exclusivelyfrom the rear face of the frame, all of the blocks other than blocks dand z are provided with markings or otherwise differentially coloredareas at the junctions yof the red and green squares. In the disclosedembodiment, these markings are shown as small White circular areas 29,3ft, and 3l., respectively, on blocks a, b, and It. The presence of sucha mark between any two or more colored squares indicates that thesesquares belong to the same block. lt therefore becomes unnecessary torefer back to the front face of the game board` in order to determinethe outlines of the various blocks.

Blocks e, f, and g are provided with similar markings 32, 33, 34, and35, respectively, on their rear faces. Blocks d and z', however, do notrequire any such marks, since each of these two blocks presents only asingle colored square on its rear face.

Asy has already been indicated above, each of blocks a to i is providedon its front surface with a strip of Inaterial, shown to be red forpurposes of illustration, in which the variousY numerals are located. lnthe disclosed exemplary embodiment of the invention, the blocks areconstructed of a suitable plastic material by conventional moldingprocedures. Again, merely by way of example, the blocks are coloredwhite as are the numerals in the red strips. O f course, any desiredcolor combination other than red and white for the front and red andgreen for the back may be employed without departing from thescope ofthepresent invention.

The puzzle or game board may be used as follows: Assuming thatit isdesired to start with a numerical arrangement, as illustrated in Fig. l,all of the various blocks except block g, fo'r example, may be insertedinto the frame through the open vfaces thereof and the various ledgesand grooves of the blocks and frame elements brought into engagement.Thereafter, slats Dl and D2, which, because of their relative thinness,are substantially resilient and deformable, are spread apart slightlyand block g inserted therethrough into the frame to operative position,-i; el., where its grooves and ledges engage the adjacent ledges andgrooves of blocks h, f, and e. Finally, closure member E is insertedbetween slats D1 and D2 and theboard is then ready for use.

In order to change the positions of the blocks so as to create differentpatterns, designs, or numerical arrange ments, the various blocks which,by virtue of the interengaged ledges and grooves, are retained withinthe frame and prevented from falling out of the frame despite the openfront and back faces thereof, must be moved along one another and alongframe members A to D. The first step is toY shift block i to the rightin Fig. l through space jwhich is twice as large as 'either of the smallblocks d and i, until said block is immediately adjacent the number 4block. Thereafter, block a may be shifted downwardly Ainto the spacevacated by block z', or blocks g and h may be shifted upwardly into thesame space.

When this has been done, either block b or block f may be shifted to theleft within the frame. Blocks c, d, e, and z' can now be moved,depending on whether block a or blocks g and h were involved in theoriginal sequence of movements. Subsequent manipulation of the variousblocks, and especially of blocks d and z', will then enable thepositions of block a and blocks g and h to be reversed in conjunctionwith a reversal of the positions of blocks b and c and a reversal of thepositions of blocks e and f. This will bring about the arrangement ofblocks illustrated in `Fig. 9. Movement of blocks i, a, and e in thedirections of arrows x, y, and z, respectively, then results in thearrangement of blocks illustrated in Figs. l0 and 11. It is to be notedthat the size of each of spaces k and m thus formed is equal to that ofeither block d or block i, while the combined size of said spaces isequal to that of space j.

An alternative type of game results when the various blocks are movedfrom the rear of the frame while only their rear surfaces, i. e., thered and green squares, are observed. Thus, starting with the position ofthe blocks illustrated in Fig. 3, said blocks may be shifted back andforth until the design illustrated in Fig. ll is attained, i. e., agreen square in the upper left-hand corner and no two squares of thesame color located side by side. The design as a whole then simulates achecker board. It is to be noted, however, that such a design need nothave a configuration of strips and numbers on the front surfaces of theblocks identical with that of Fig. 10. Rather, it will be found that anumber of dierent configurations of said strips and numbers mayaccompany a checker board design on the back of the board.

It will be readily apparent, therefore, that the game board according tothe invention may be employed in any one of a number of ways. Thus, theblocks may be manipulated back and forth in order to produce somedesired pattern out of the red strips on the front faces of the blockseither in conjunction with or without regard to any particulararrangement of the numbers and the design formed by the rear faces ofthe blocks.

Alternatively, the blocks may be manipulated to produce desired numberarrangements, such as equal sums in all vertical columns and horizontalrows, with or without regard to either the pattern formed by the frontstrips or the design of the back squares. in addition, the blocks may bemanipulated to produce a desired design of the colored squares on therear surfaces of the blocks without regard to any pattern formed by theindicia on the front surfaces thereof.

While the game board according to the present invention has beendescribed as constructed of one-piece blocks and a one-piece framemolded to shape, it is within the scope of the present invention toemploy laminated blocks and frame elements constructed from a pluralityof slats or plate-like elements of different widths. Thus, for example,each frame element A, B, and C as well as insert member E may becomposed of a plurality of elongated, substantially rectangular slats orlaminae cemented or otherwise joined together so as to produce therequired ledges and grooves, the completed frame elements then beingfused, cemented, or similarly united at their extremi-V ties to form theframe F.

Likewise, any of the blocks may be built up from a plurality of suitablyshaped and dimensioned plates or laminae joined together to form therequired ledges and grooves. The red strip on the front face of eachblock may be a raised portion of such block (or of the plate forming thefront side of the block), or a separate strip attached to the block (orthe plate), or simply a colored zone in the block (or plate) surface.Likewise, the colored squares may be composed of separate elementsattached to the block or of colored zones directly on the block surface.The numbers, of course, may be either impressed into the strips or standout therefrom in relief or may, if desired, not be associated with thestrips at all.

As indicated above, the various parts of the game board may or may notbe of different sizes and shapes. Moreover, other identifying insigniathan the ones disclosed may be employed without departing from thespirit of the invention. Thus, a different set of numbers may besubstituted for the numbers 1 to 9, and the colored rear sections may bereplaced by curvedor straight-line patterns adapted to be matched up indiiferent ways. The front and rear surfaces of the blocks need not beplane, of course, by virtue of the open front and rear faces of theframe, even though the frame retains the blocks in substantiallycoplanar relationship. In this manner, threedimensional, pictorialdesigns such as landscapes, human figures, etc., in various degrees ofbas and high relief may be formed on the surfaces of the blocks.

In summary, therefore, there has been provided in accordance with theinvention a game board comprising a plurality of blocks having outerguide means engageable with one another, frame means for retaining saidblocks in substantially coplanar relationship with one another andincluding inner guide means engageable with said outer guide means,there being provided a number of said blocks sufficient to ll said framemeans except for a space of predetermined size equivalent to the size ofat least one of said blocks, whereby said blocks may be selectivelyshifted from one position to another within said frame means, said framemeans being provided with open front and rear faces, andeach of saidblocks having front and rear surfaces and bearing identifying indicia onsaid surfaces, whereby a plurality of different designs may be attainedat each face of said frame means upon shifting of said blockstherewithin.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A game board comprising a plurality of substantially rectangularblocks of different sizes, said blocks having front and rear surfacesand further having outer guide means engageable with one another, saidouter guide means for each block comprising at least two lateral ledgesand at least two lateral grooves located in at least two spaced,parallel planes between said front and rear surfaces, one of said ledgesbeing arranged in one of said planes and projecting from 'first andsecond adjacent sides of said block, the other' of said ledges beingarranged in the other of Said planes and projecting from a third side ofsaid block opposite said first side and from said second side, one ofsaid grooves being arranged in said one plane and extending along saidthird side and along a fourth side of said block, the other of saidgrooves being arranged in said other plane and extending along saidfirst and fourth sides of said block, frame means provided with acentral opening extending from the front to the rear of said frame meansand inciuding inner guide means engageable with said outer guide meansfor retaining said blocks in substantially coplanar relationship withone another and within said frame means, said inner guide meanscomprising a plurality of grooves and ledges located on the innerperiphery of said frame means facing said opening and in said spaced,parallel planes for engagement with `said ledges` and groovesconstituting said outer guide means of said blocks, respectively, therebeing provided a number of said blocks suicient to ll said frame meansexcept for a space of predetermined size equivalent to at least twicethe size of the smallest one of said blocks, whereby said blocks may beselectively shifted from one position to another within said frame meanswithout the intermediary of a back wall for the latter, said blocksbearing identifying indicia on said surfaces, whereby a plurality ofdifferent designs may be attained on said block surfaces upon shiftingof said blocks within said frame means.

2. A board according to claim l, said frame means comprising at leastone frame element having spaced and deformable side members of reducedthickness and defin` ing an aperture therebetween, said aperture beinglonger than the largest of said blocks and narrower than any of thelatter, whereby a block may be inserted into or removed from saidVtrarne means through said aperture upon deformation of said sidemembers so as to widen said aperture, and an insert membertitting intosaidiaperlture `for 'closing the latter, said insert member ybeingshaped to present, in conjunction with said-side members, a portion ofSaid plurality of grooves and ledges for said frame means.

`3. A board for puzzles and lille games, comprising lfour elonvated wailmembers ,ioined to one another vat their opposite ends to constitute arectangular frame having front and rear faces and dening a centralopening extending from said front face yto said rear face, two oppositeones of said Wall members being provided, respectively, at their sidesfacing said opening with a `frame ledge and a trame groove vrextendingiongitudinally of said two wall members and in spaced, parallel planeslocated between said front and rear faces of said frame, said frameledge of a iirst of said two wall members being copiar-rar with saidframe groove of the second of said two wall members and said framegroove of said Iirst wall member being coplanar with said frame ledgeof. said second wall member, a third of said four wall members beingprovided with two frame ledges extending longitudinally o1 said thirdwall member and in said spaced, parallel planes, the fourth of said fourwall members arranged opposite'said third wall member being providedwith two trame grooves extending longitudinally of said tourth wallmember and in said spaced, parallel planes, a plurality of rectangularblocks of different sizes located within said opening of said trame,each of said blocks being provided with a front surface and a rearsurface, each lock being further provided with two blocl; ledges andwith two block grooves, said block ledges being located, respectively,in said spaced, parallel planes, one ot' said block ledges of each blockprojecting beyond irst and second adjacent sides of the respectiveblock, the other otsaid block ledges of each block projecting beyondsaid second side and beyond a third side ot said respective blockadjacent said second side and opposite said rst side, one of said blockgrooves of said respective block being coplanar with said one of saidblocf; ledges aud extending along said third side and the fourth side oisaid respective block, the other block groove being coplanar with theother block ledge and extending along said first and fourth sides ofsaid respective block, said block grooves and said block ledges of eachblock coacting with the block ledges and block grooves oi the remainingblocks, respectively, and with said trame ledges and frame grooves ofsaid wall members to permit slidable displacement of said blocksrelative to one another and relative to said wall members within saidframe without the intermediary of a back wall to cover said opening atsaid rear face of said frame, said blocks being provided on their frontand 'rear surfaces, respectively, with means of identification, wherebysaid blocks may be selectively displaced within said frame to combinesaid means of identification to present a variety of patterns ofpredetermined characteristics at both said front and rear faces of saidframe.

4. A boardffor games, 'puzzles and the like, comprising a frame havingopen fro-nt and `rear faces, a plurality flfour-'sided blocks ofdifferenti sizes movably located within said iframe and having front andrear surfaces, respectively, and-tongue-andfgroove means on each blockand on said frame for connecting said blocks to one another and to saidframe to thereby permit slidable displacement of said blocks within saidvframe relative to one `another and relative to said frame, saidtongueand-groove means for each block comprising at least two lateraltongues and at least two lateral grooves located in atleast two spaced,parallel planes between said front and rear surfaces, one of saidtongues being arranged in one of said planes 'and projecting from rst ansecond adjacent sides of said block, the other of said tongues beingarranged in the other of said planes and projecting from a third side ofsaid block opposite said first `side and from said second side, one ofsaid grooves being `rrangecl in said one planeand extending along saidthird side and along a fourth side of said block, the other or" saidgrooves being arranged in said other plane and extending along saidfirst and fourth sides of said block, said tongue-and-groove means onsaid frame comprising a plurality of tongues and grooves engaging andcoacting with said grooves and tongues on said blocks to retain theVlatter Vin said frame without necessitating provision of a back for thelatter, said blocks being provided on said surfaces, respectively, withdesign means, whereby said vblocks may -be selectively displaced withinsaid frame to combine said design means so as to prevent a variety ot'patterns Aof predetermined characteristics.

5. An element for use in a puzzle or game board, comprising a tour-sidedblock having front and rear surfaces and provided with at least twolateral ledges and at least two lateral grooves located in at least twospaced, parallel planes between said front and rear surfaces, one olsaid ledges being arranged in one of said planes and projecting fromiirst and second adjacent sides ot said block, the other ot' said ledgesbeing arranged in the other of said planes and projecting from a thirdside of said block opposite said rst side and from said second side, oneof said grooves being arranged in said one plane and extending alongsaid third side and along a fourth side or said block, the other of saidgrooves being arranged in said other plane and extending along said rstand fourth sides of said block.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS11,539,738 Hutton May 26, 1925 FOREIGN PATENTS 9,720 Great Britain 1906752,284 .France Sept. 20, 1933 765,605 France June 13, 1934 417,143Great Britain Sept. 28, 1934 424,870 Great Britain Mar. 1, 1935 592,536Great Britain Sept. 22, 1947

